Live
by Setren
Summary: Itachi is murdered in cold blood before Sasuke's very eyes. But his last words to his younger brother before he died was "Live." Something Sasuke is going find very hard to do. COMPLETE REVISED
1. Whispering

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of its characters.  
  
Hey, I just want everyone reading this to know that I have an almost obsession with character death. And just because I kill someone, doesn't mean I hate them or anything. Thank you. Note: this fic takes place about eight or nine years in the future.  
  
Sasuke sat, his face in his hands, deep in thought. He didn't even get up when the tea kettle started to whistle. He just sat, staring at the table through his fingers. How did everything go so wrong? It started with some weird epidemic. During that epidemic, many people died and Tsunade, some how, could do nothing to stop it. Until she died her self. Then the sickness stopped. Without explanation, it merely disappeared, leaving behind countless bodies that, for nearly a month, no one dared to touch for fear of catching the disease. Sasuke shuddered with memory. Sakura's body was among those corpses.  
  
Then the new Hokage came into control. More like a tyrant than anything. But no one could do anything to stop him. No one with enough power to rival his. Shortly after his claim to power, the Hokage put the village under a state of martial law. Then he had Jiraiya arrested, and publicly executed. Without trial. Many of the villagers, including some shinobi, rioted, protesting their new leader's action. They too were arrested and put to death. His sensei, Kakashi, was an inmate, he was scheduled for execution one week from now.  
  
There was a knock on the door. Sasuke didn't answer. The person knocked again, this time a little more persistently.  
  
"It's open." Sasuke finally said, talking into his hands.  
  
The door opened, it was Neji. He made a face at the whistling tea kettle and walked over to the stove and turned it off. He poured Sasuke and himself a cup of the tea and sat down at the table.  
  
"Hey."  
  
"Hey."  
  
Neji looked at Sasuke, and sighed at his sorry state. His friends usual flawless face was blotchy with tears and there were dark circles around his eyes. "This may sound cruel," Neji told him, "but it's true. You can't keep on going like this. Sakura isn't coming back. No one is."  
  
"But what's the point of living in a dictatorship? None. There's no freedom what so ever, I amazed Naruto hasn't been killed yet! That Hokage bastard is killing anyone who opposes him! And Naruto was planning on doing daily revolts!"  
  
"I think Hinata is helping with that. She's good for Naruto. Anyway, you need to get out more, or you would have noticed that no revolt has taken place. By Naruto or anyone else." Neji let out a laugh that was very unlike himself. "They're all scared."  
  
"Yeah..."  
  
Sasuke was happy for Naruto, married just last spring to Hinata, a month before the sickness hit. But he couldn't help feeling slightly jealous. They seemed almost immune to the disease and Sakura died from it. Neji was talking, jerking Sasuke out of his thoughts.  
  
"Got a bit news for you." he was saying with a grim smile.  
  
"What?"  
  
"They caught the Akatsuki."  
  
Sasuke stared at him. He wasn't expecting that.  
  
"Yup. All fifteen members. There'll be a public execution of all of them tonight. It's apparently mandatory."  
  
"WHAT!? All fifteen?" Sasuke's head was spinning. That meant Itachi was caught. It had been eight years since Sasuke had ended his obsession to avenge his clan. But even so, he still hated his older brother with a passion. If anyone was going to end that man's life, it would be him, not some crackpot dictator. God, I am such a hypocrite. Thought Sasuke, pulling at his raven black hair in frustration.  
  
Neji leaned back in his chair. "Well it would be a good time to get a good look at this guy."  
  
"Who?" Sasuke asked wildly. He knew who his own brother was thank you!  
  
"The Hokage!" said Neji impatiently. "Last time I saw him, you weren't there, I noticed that he's using a genjutsu to hide his true appearance."  
  
Sasuke stared at Neji.  
  
"Yup. But I didn't recognize him, so I thought perhaps you would." Neji yawned. "Well, see you seven o'clock." And he rose and left.  
  
Seven o'clock came. Sasuke went down to the center of the village and met up with Naruto, Hinata, and Neji. Hinata was almost in tears.  
  
"I just hate it when another person dies, especially when that horrible man wants them dead." Naruto put his arm around her in a comforting manner. Sasuke, feeling a wave of memories come over him looked away.  
  
Then, remembering what Neji had said earlier, he looked up to the raised platform. There sat the fifteen members of the Akatsuki. Sure enough, Itachi was among them. Sasuke tried to avoid his piercing eyes as he searched for the Hokage. He was standing at the end of the miniature stage. He gave one glance at him with the Sharingan and stumbled back with fear into Naruto.  
  
"Hey! What's the matter?" Asked Naruto in surprise. But Sasuke couldn't find his voice to answer.  
  
Orochimaru. It made sense now. The sickness that ended only after Tsunade succumbed to it. Why Jiraiya, one of the only people who could possibly stand up to him was killed without reason. And why the Akatsuki was sitting there now. Orochimaru hated them, even though he himself had once been a member.  
  
Sasuke found himself looking back at Itachi. For the slightest moment, he had the urge to scream, but Itachi's gaze held, rooting Sasuke to the ground. Then Sasuke realized, Itachi didn't want Sasuke to interfere. Itachi was perfectly okay with the fact that he was going to die. Sasuke shook his head. No! it wasn't right! Why, Itachi, why?  
  
Orochimaru drew out a katana. Sasuke gulped as he heard sickening thuds as the twisted Hokage moved down the line. Sasuke couldn't turn his head to look, but he knew what was happening. The same thing that happened to Jiraiya and soon to Kakashi.  
  
"No, no." he whispered, but no one around him seemed to hear him. Many were talking in hushed voices to another, some were dead silent, and there was a few who cheering. Happy that finally the Hokage had decided to send these terrorist to hell rather than someone else. Orochimaru was behind Itachi, katana raised. Itachi's face was straight and full of dignity.  
  
"No."  
  
The silvery blade swung down and Sasuke had to bite his lip to keep from screaming. He could have sworn he had seen Itachi's lips form a single word, just as the sword bit into his neck:  
  
"Live."  
  
Sasuke stood there numbly. A decade ago, he would have rejoiced, but he couldn't bring himself to feel any form of joy. He stared at Itachi's severed head, the Sharingan had not faded from his brother's eyes, nor had they from his own.  
  
"In life, you gave me a reason to live. And now in death, you have given me another." 


	2. Black and White

Kisa- Naruto a dictator? Where did u get that idea? Yes, Orochimaru is Hokage and Itachi is dead. I am very sorry.  
  
Bishiehuggler- why thank you! sigh...it seems so long on Microsoft word tho...  
  
::sigh:: well, I was planning on this being a one shot, but accidentally forgot to put that, and since people are telling me to keep going and up date, I guess it won't be a one shot! ::sweat drop:: R&R peeps! Tell me what u think! Thanx!  
  
The tea kettle was whistling again. And once again, Sasuke ignored it. He had been a slight daze ever since Itachi's execution. He thought it would sink in rather quickly that his brother, the one person he had sworn eternal hatred to, was dead. So, I suppose that means I'm truly am the sole survivor of my clan... he mused. Damn you Itachi. You told me to hate you. I hated you. And apparently that wasn't enough. Fine. I'll live, you bastard. I'll do what you could not. I'll live. While you rot in hell. Sasuke gnawed at his thumb. Just don't go thinking I'll try to avenge you. 'Cause I'm won't. If I ever kill that Orochimaru bastard, it won't be for you! Just keep that in mind!  
  
"Um...Sasuke?"  
  
It was Naruto. He was standing, almost hesitantly in the door frame, staring at Sasuke's scowling face.  
  
"Naruto? Oh... here, come in." Sasuke rose shakily to his feet and staggered over to the kettle and started to pour some tea for himself and his friend.  
  
"You're bleeding."  
  
Sasuke looked down at the sudden ache of pain in his hand. Unintentionally, he had bitten through his own flesh, so immersed he was in his thoughts. He shuddered with the pain, though at the same time enjoyed it. Pain had been his escape a long time ago. It was almost pleasurable to be reunited with his almost forgotten remedy.  
  
He shrugged off Naruto's comment and sat down, pushing one of the mugs toward Naruto. Then he slumped back in his own chair, watching the steam form little flowers as it rose from the surface of the tea.  
  
"Mystical flower no jutsu." He whispered, slowly forming the katas as memories consumed his mind once more. He let out a heavy sigh.  
  
"That was your brother, wasn't it?" Sasuke looked up at Naruto. The usual wide mouthed smile was replaced by a serious, firm line; as it had been for that past few months. "I wasn't going to say anything there in the crowd, but, that was him? Wasn't it? Itachi?"  
  
Sasuke massaged his temples. "Yeah." Then he remembered something. "Naruto, remember Orochimaru?"  
  
"The freaky guy with the big snake who gave you that curse seal when we were taking the Chuunin exam? Who killed the third? That slithery bastard? Who could forget him?"  
  
Sasuke drew a deep breath. "Well, it's all his fault that these things are happening. He's the Hokage now. He's the one who sent the sickness. I saw him Naruto! He hates the Akatsuki. That's why he ordered them executed. He doesn't give a damn about their crimes! He just wanted them dead! Jiraiya didn't do a thing! But he was still slaughtered. Why? Because Orochimaru hates his guts and Jiraiya would pose a problem in the future if he ever caught on to that twisted man's scheme! If he's killed..."  
  
Naruto's eyes had gotten very wide. "Whoa, whoa. Slow down. This isn't like you at all. I'm the one that's supposed to go running into things without thinking, remember?"  
  
Sasuke bit his lip. "I'm not running into anything. It's just..."  
  
"It's Itachi, right?" Sasuke stared at Naruto, who grinned. "Don't forget. I've know for a super long time, man. Am I right? No matter how much you hate him, you can't let it go that he was your brother. And then this sonovabitch went and killed him in cold blood."  
  
Sasuke was silent. Once again, Naruto had proven himself right. He despised Orochimaru. But should he be happy that he had killed Itachi, whom he also hated? No. That he had already decided. But what should he decide?  
  
Life is not as black and white as it seems. The moment you think you're all pure and void of evil, you always find a little bit of grey mixed in. the same thing always seems to happen when you look at the other extreme. There is no such thing as true black, and similarly there is no such thing a pure white. Indecision was fatal to a shinobi. Does that mean I'm going to die?  
  
(A.N. arg... sorry about it being all short again. Darn. Though I am sad to say that that is probably how the rest of this fic is going to go.) 


	3. All these impossible things

Sry about the wait. First I had the all dreaded writer's block, then I went on vacation. I'm also sry to say that I think this will be the last chpt of this fic. Sry! I was already planning for this to be short but anyone has any ideas to make it longer, please share! But if not, I'm stopping it here.  
  
-Setren  
  
For the following days, Sasuke kept himself locked in his apartment, brooding. What's going to happen now? Kakashi-sensei is going to be killed in two days, and there's no way I'll let that happen. Damn, Naruto's right, this isn't like me. But, what am I to do?  
  
And so Sasuke plotted. Breaking Kakashi out of the prison would be a fool's errand, but that's what every plan Sasuke thought up of seemed like. Each as impossible as the next. He tugged at his hair, as if pulling it out would help some relatively good ideas to come out of his head as well. It got him nothing but an even worse headache.  
  
What to do, what to do...  
  
Sasuke fell asleep at the table, thinking or at least trying to. When he was awoken by the whistling tea kettle, he was so much more interested in getting back to thinking of a way to free his teacher that he didn't think it was odd that the kettle should be whistling, since he hadn't even put water in it before he dozed off. So immersed in his thoughts, he didn't even notice that the high pitched whistle had stopped, until someone spoke.  
  
"Just gonna think your day away huh?" It was Naruto.  
  
Sasuke started and whirled around in his chair to face his friend with shock.  
  
"Naruto? What...how...?"  
  
Naruto rolled his eyes. "You're getting rusty, putting a lock on the door is all fine and dandy, but honestly. I expected more of a challenge from the last Uchiha clan member."  
  
Sasuke scowled. Naruto was poking fun at him on purpose. Trying to snap him out his numb daze. It was just the thing Naruto would do. But Sasuke was in no mood for it.  
  
"Go make tea in your own damn house, Naruto." He said coldly.  
  
He chuckled. "Or you'll do what?" He sat down and pushed a cup toward Sasuke, but Sasuke didn't want it.  
  
"What do you want?" Sasuke said through gritted teeth.  
  
Naruto peered at him over the rim of his cup. "Kakashi-sensei ain't just your teacher. And I ain't letting that Orochimaru bastard kill him with out my say." He took a sip and made a face. "This the only tea you got here? Bleh...tastes horrible. I could make better rice balls than this mess."  
  
"It was Sakura's." Was the stiff answer.  
  
Naruto sighed. "Yeah, well." He set the cup down with a faint smile. "Am I correct in thinking that you don't want another person close to you to die?"  
  
"Itachi was NOT close! I hated him and still hate him now! Don't you DARE assume that that man-!"  
  
"But you DON'T want Kakashi-sensei to die."  
  
Sasuke realized that he had jumped to his feet in his rage and had accidentally knocked over his cup. Sakura's tea was seeping all over the table and dripping onto the floor. Against the wood it looked red. Before he could say anything else, Sasuke righted the cup before any more could spill out. But he was too late. It was empty. He sat back down, staring blankly at it.  
  
Naruto sighed again. "You always seem to dwell on the past, don't cha? Not that I'm saying that the past is crap, but once and a while, start to live in the present and you might be happier." And he got up and left.  
  
It took a few seconds for Naruto's statement to sink in, and by that time, he was already gone. But that didn't stop Sasuke from hurling both cups at the door, shattering both of them.  
  
Curse it all...  
  
Sasuke brooded the remainder of the day away, sulking over what Naruto had told him and still struggled to find a solution to both free Kakashi, and not get killed in the process. But no matter how he looked at it, it all seemed almost impossible. Almost... Guess I'll just have to throw caution to the winds and hope it turns out okay. Risk wasn't openly accepted to Sasuke, and with the a big gamble such as this looming over him, sleep that night was plagued with nightmares every time he closed his eyes.  
  
When he awoke the next morning, he found his apartment flooded with sunlight. But it didn't warm him at all. All he wanted was to just be able to curl up in his bed and when he awoke, Sakura would be next to him. Just like before. Just like always. But he knew his dream was impossible. It was in the past.  
  
He dressed with a new found courage burning within him. For the first time in over a month he strapped on his shuriken and kunai hostler, and, with a deep breath, tied his hitai-ate about his forehead. It had been so long since he had worn it, it felt strange. At last, fighting to ignore the feeling of foreboding in the pit of his stomach, stepped outside.  
  
People were already milling around the miniature stage in the center of the village, talking in hushed tones. Sasuke found Naruto, who, despite the occasion, gave his friend a weak grin.  
  
"I see you've ended some form of inner conflicts with yourself, Sasuke?" asked Naruto, nodding at Sasuke's hitai-ate.  
  
"What are you talking about? Anyways, I bet you don't even know what half those words you just said mean." Sasuke said with a short laugh that didn't hold any happiness at all.  
  
He looked up at Kakashi and gave him a small salute. "We'll get you out of here." Naruto mouthed.  
  
"What? We?" asked Sasuke with alarm.  
  
"Yeah, 'we'." Said Naruto, giving Sasuke a thumbs up. "Ain't gonna let you have all the glory."  
  
Sasuke sighed gratefully. "Thanks."  
  
The two waded through the crowd around to the back of the stage where there were less people. Sasuke's heart was beating very fast, he felt uneasy. He supposed the feeling was justified however, and tried to push it away to a corner of his mind and tried not too think too much on it.  
  
Orochimaru, under his disguise, stepped up onto the platform. Sasuke clenched his fist. This was it. Very quickly, as though as they had practiced it countless times before, Naruto and Sasuke drew out a fist full of shuriken each and threw them, landing them skillfully on the chairs of the death row inmates, severing their bindings. Again, as if it had been rehearsed, Kakashi and they others leapt away from the stage and scattered. Kakashi appeared beside Naruto.  
  
"Thanks." He breathed. "I was starting to worry a bit."  
  
"Ha! You give our loyalty too much credit, sensei!" laughed Naruto.  
  
But Sasuke wasn't paying attention to Naruto's and Kakashi's conversation, he was looking at Orochimaru. He had just turned around to see the trio, wearing a very ugly face indeed. Sasuke pushed two kunai into his teacher's hands.  
  
"I think you'll need these."  
  
Kakashi nodded, his eyes too were now fixed on Orochimaru. All around people were screaming, pushing to get away. Too get them moving faster and to make room for a fight, Kakashi vanished and reappeared in the center of the crowd, scaring many into a out right run away from the ninja.  
  
Mean while, Naruto was performing his doppelganger technique, filling most of the area where prospectors had been with countless clones of himself. Now it was Sasuke's turn. Deciding it would be best to fight at a distance, he preformed a jutsu that his fingers had practically memorized.  
  
Mythical Flower no Jutsu!  
  
Bright flames consumed the stage, quickly reducing it to ash. Sasuke had not seen Orochimaru leap away, but he didn't count him down yet. As a follow up, Sasuke preformed Chidori and waited, letting his chakra dance around his arm, waiting, waiting. His Sharingan eyes were roving around the area, searching for any sign of the twisted ninja. Naruto and Kakashi (who too had chakra roaring around his hand in his own Chidori) watched as well. There was no way Orochimaru had perished in that one attack. He was alive, biding his time, searching for a vulnerable target from his little hiding spot.  
  
"Sasuke! Behind you!"  
  
Sasuke whirled around and jumped out of the way as about fifty shuriken came in his direction. This wasn't like Orochimaru at all... he didn't fight like this. He couldn't hear Naruto, or even the crackle of chakra from his Chidori. Was this one of Orochimaru's tricks?  
  
Mist creeped around his legs, eventually consuming everything. Sharingan now useless, Sasuke kept his ears pricked for any sound. But there wasn't anything. He was becoming unnerved now. He didn't like situations like this.  
  
Out of now where came two sickenly familiar eyes came into focus. Sasuke gulped. He tried not to look into them. Last time he looked into Orochimaru's eyes, they showed him a vision of his own death.  
  
There it came again. The excruciating pain of death washed over him, he was screaming. Screaming so loud he couldn't hear the maniacal laughter coming from Orochimaru's direction. He couldn't hear Naruto, or Kakashi, or anyone else. Everything was black.  
  
The pain had numbed to an ache by the time Sasuke brought up the courage to open his eyes. Naruto was leaning over him.  
  
"Sasuke?!" Naruto asked, and Kakashi, Neji, and Hinata gathered around. They all looked very worried. Hinata had tear stains on her cheeks.  
  
"What, what happened?" Sasuke mumbled, not even attempting to sit up. Orochimaru was gone, so, why did he still hurt so much?  
  
"Orochimaru attacked you. When he was hiding in the mist." Said Kakashi quietly.  
  
"Huh? But, I'm okay, right? It doesn't hurt so much any more. I-." to prove what he was saying Sasuke tried to sit up, but the moment he tried to move, his head started to spin and black spots began to obscure his vision. When he lied back down, they did not go away.  
  
"We were able to get away." Said Naruto, his voice shaking. "Kakashi- sensei had picked up your body, but..." He shuddered, and turned away.  
  
"I'm surprised you woke up at all." Said Kakashi. "We tried our best for you."  
  
"So... in other words, I'm on my death bed?" asked Sasuke slowly, though he knew the answer. He was going to die. It was just as it dawned on him, that everything started to dim. Perhaps the world had already started to fade away before he had realized it, but it was his denial that kept him from believing it.  
  
"Well, at least you'll be able to see Sakura again." Said Naruto, in a slightly strangled voice.  
  
"No, I ...don't think...that I deserve...something like that..."  
  
"What?! Sasuke, you-!"  
  
But Sasuke didn't get to hear what he was. Naruto's voice got farther and farther away until he couldn't hear a thing. The world was now a swirling black mass.  
  
Sorry Sakura, but going to see you would be too much to ask for. Itachi, I guess now we'll be spending eternity in hell now. Now I'll be able to ask you a few questions, like why you keep asking me to do all these impossible things.  
  
END 


End file.
